It has been awhile since the gymnasium at Florala High School has been renovated, but a recent campaign on the website gofundme.com is looking to change that.

 

According to the website, the gym was built in 1962 and still houses the original floor, and is in dire need of repair.

 

The last renovations that the gym has undergone was done out of the pockets of volunteer coaches.

 

“The floor hasn’t had anything done to it since it was put down in 1962,” Florala basketball coach Troy Stewart said. “It will cost us around $11,000 to get the floor redone, and that is what we will start with. If we raise more than that, I will be ecstatic.”

 

Stewart said that all of the equipment is out of date, but that there just isn’t any money in the budget for the school to do anything about it. That is why Stewart took to gofundme.com to try and get this problem fixed.

 

The average income in Florala is roughly $17,000 less than the state average, and Stewart said the wonderful people of Florala just don’t have the monetary means to assist in this much-needed project.

 

“We are in dire need of everyone’s help,” Stewart said. “It’s not cheap to get these renovations done, but these kids here deserve better than this.”

 

A new floor would benefit far more than just the basketball team, Stewart said.

 

“It’s the central location for all indoor athletic competitions, community events, school pep rallies, charity events, school assemblies and graduation,” Stewart said.

 

It won’t be easy to accomplish, but Stewart said they could accomplish it with the help of the people in the county.

 

“It’s a big job that will take money and a lot of work to finish,” Stewart said. “But we are committed to this improvement project and hope everyone in Covington County will take part in its completion.  In the South, we know we’re not afraid of a little hard work.  As a reward for the highest donor, they will receive a season pass to all home Florala High School athletic events.”

 

Anyone interested in donating may do so at www.gofundme.com/floralagym.